By: ABID SIDDIQUE CHAUDHRY

TWA

_______

The European Union has approved its nineteenth package of restrictive measures against Russia during the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on October 23. Moscow has denounced these sanctions as unilateral and illegitimate under international law, claiming they undermine the authority of the UN Security Council.

In retaliation, Russia has significantly broadened its list of EU officials, representatives of member states, and individuals from other European countries who are now barred from entering the Russian Federation under Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996, “On the Procedure for Exit from and Entry into the Russian Federation.”

The updated entry ban includes:

Officials and citizens of EU and allied states involved in supplying military aid or dual-use goods to Ukraine, or in actions that undermine Russia’s territorial integrity;
Representatives of EU institutions and government bodies linked to legal actions against Russian officials;
Individuals supporting efforts to establish a tribunal against Russian leadership;
Advocates for confiscating Russian assets or redirecting their proceeds to Ukraine;
Policymakers and enforcers of anti-Russian sanctions;
Civil activists, academics, and parliamentarians known for anti-Russian rhetoric or for backing hostile resolutions in EU institutions.

Moscow emphasized that the EU’s “hostile actions” will not alter Russia’s political stance. The Russian government reaffirmed its commitment to defending national interests, safeguarding citizens’ rights, and advancing a multipolar world order.